Crate or box.



B. K. BOYD.

CRATE 0B BOX. unmnxon rmm mm. 1a, 1908.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Beffron/[Boy v f 1W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTRON K. BOYD, OF OWOSSO, MICHIGAN.

CRATE OR BOX.

To all wh0m it may concern:

3e it known that I, BERTRON K. BOYD, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Owosso, in the county of Shiawas-.

see and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates or Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has particular reference to shipping crates or boxes formed of slats especially designed for shipping fruit and similar articles, and consists primarily in novel means for repairing the crate when broken without the necessity of dismembering it and subsequently reconstructing.

The invention further consists in various details of construction as will be more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding crate with the repair slat applied; and Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of the repair slat.

Heretofore, it has been the practice of the user where a slat has been broken in the crate to throw the latter away, as the expense of replacing the slat has been about equal to the cost of a new crate owing to the fact that it has been necessary in repairing the device to dismember the greater part and subsequently rebuild the same.

It is the object of the present invention to obviate this expense by providing a repair slat that may be readily and quickly substituted for any slat that may be broken in the crate.

In the drawings briefly described, A represents a slatted shipping crate of the usual folding or knockdown construction, comprising side members B and end sections or panels 0, each composed of a vertical series of spaced slats, as E. As shown, the ends of the slats at the corners of the crate overlap one another or interlace, and each near its opposite ends is vertically apertured, as at a, the apertures being adapted to aline vertically.

Within each series of apertures a vertical securing device, as F, extends, forming a corner connection for the crate and also a pivot on which the slats turn during the folding movement. Any suitable top or bottom may be employed for the crate or box, but as this feature forms no part of the present invention it is not herein shown.

The repair slat is preferably of the con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 18, 1908.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Serial No. 439,154.

struction shown in Fig. 2, comprising a body section Gr, slotted longitudinally at each end, as at b, the slat being substantially the size of the other slats of the crate.

Upon the breakage of any slat in the box, the parts may be readily removed from the vertical pivots and the repair slat substituted by laterally engaging one end thereof with one of the two complementary pivot pins, slightly springing the slat and laterally engaging the opposite end, the slat when applied being as shown in Fig. 1.

In most instances the repair slat will remain in its proper position when applied in the manner set forth, but if desired a fastening device, such as a small nail 0, may be driven through the furcations of the slat, either in one or both ends, to prevent its being withdrawn from the pivots.

It will be obvious from the construction set forth that the repair will be effected without the necessity of removing any of the other slats, thereby reducing the expenseof repairing to a minimum and permitting the old crates to be used over and over again until entirely worn out.

I have here shown the ordinary type of folding crate, with a single vertical pivot pin or red as the uniting means for the corner, but it will be obvious that other types of securing devices may be employed and a diiferent construction of crate used without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention.

\Vhat- I claim as my invention is,-

1. In combination with a box or crate composed of slatted side and end sections, the slats having overlapping ends connected by vertical securing devices, of a. repair slat having slots in its opposite ends and of a length to be lateral-1y engageable with a pair of said vertical securing devices, whereby the repair slat may be inserted into the builtup crate structure without dismantling said structure.

2. In combination with a folding crate composed of side and end sections formed of parallel slats overlapping at their ends and vertical pivots connecting said overlapping ends, an attachable repair slat of a length to extend to and beyond a pair of said pivots, and having its opposite ends slotted longitudinally, the slots being of a length to permit the slat to be inserted in the built-up crate structure with its ends embracing the pivots.

8. In cou'ibination with a box or crate,

ski

comprising side and end sections toi ne djof repair slat consisting of a bar in size and spaced slats having vertically apertured ends shape substantially that or the slats of the interlacing at the crate corners; and vertical pivots engaging the several vertical series of apertures, of an attachable slat having l0ngi tudinally slotted end portions adapted to laterally engage ivith a pair of said pivots, and a securing device for the attachable slat beyond the pivot.

4. A repair slat for slatted folding crates built up of a series of slats having overlapping ends and provided With joining Wires passing through the overlapping ends, said crate and having at opposite ends entering grooves extending longitudinally of the slat and of a Width throughout substantially that of the diameter of the joining Wires of the crate, substantially as described. i V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

V BERTRON K. BOYYDL. lVitnesses \VARREN PIERPONT, A. M. BENTLEY. 

